So how are the Ninth Region’s top two high school basketball players from last season doing in this, their first year in college? Not bad, not bad at all.
Jacob Meyer, the 6-foot-2 Holy Cross product who led the nation – and Kentucky – in scoring the last two years is settling in as a combo guard at Coastal Carolina where he leads the Myrtle Beach, S.C., team in both minutes played (32.4 mpg) and is tied for the scoring lead at 13.3 ppg.
He’s also second on a 3-7 Sunbelt Conference team in both defensive rebounds (63) and assists (35).
At Miami of Ohio, Covington Catholic alum Evan Ipsaro, now listed at a football-running-back-like 6-feet and 200 pounds, is No. 3 in both minutes played and scoring for the 6-7 RedHawks (25.0 mpg, 9.2 ppg) while leading the team in assists with 35. After earning a starting spot by Game 3, Evan led Miami in scoring with 18 points in a win over Eastern Illinois in Game 4 that had him on the All-Miami-Classic team and he’s been starting ever since.
IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN, ALL ‘A’ CLASSIC TIME
For those of us who remember the late Stan Steidel working on the idea of a small school basketball tournament 45 years ago and then having the Northern Kentucky idea go statewide and become the All “A” Classic 35 years ago, it’s time.
Time for the All “A” Classic that will be hosted next week at Bellevue High’s Ben Flora Gymnasium, Monday through Saturday, except for Wednesday’s Newport-Heritage Christian game that will be played at Beechwood.
Time for me to remember getting to broadcast some of the state championship games with Dale McMillen from the EKU Arena, although this year the Corbin Arena will host the finals.
The Ninth Region winner next Saturday will face the 11th Region winner bright and early at 8:30 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 25.
NEWPORT’S NEW FOOTBALL FACILITY READY FOR 2024, REALLY READY
Just a year ago, it was among the condemned. Now Newport Stadium is the brightest new building in Northern Kentucky sports. Too bad it wasn’t completed until after the end of the 2023 season and Newport’s Wildcats and the Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds had to compete all through the regular season and the first couple of weeks of the playoffs as road warriors.
But just a quick look at the facility makes it clear that 2024 will be a good year for the home teams in Newport after replacing the crumbling 86-year-old stadium with a sharp 1,500-seat football stadium. And how about that press box?
TOUCHING THE THIRD RAIL HERE
We know this comment has the potential for flashback but here goes: After watching the Rose Bowl Parade Sunday, it hit us that big, brassy, classy high school marching bands are not completely out of fashion everywhere. There are lots of them.
Just not so much here. And that does make us a bit sad that they’re not as we recall them. Can’t remember the last time we saw one at a football game – we’re talking about a band marching onto and off the field, playing as an adjunct to the football game on Fridays. Like they still do in college.
Not seeing or hearing the pep bands as much at basketball games either. Which has us wondering where the next generation of college bands members will come from with so many high school bands – noticeably smaller after the pandemic three years ago – using Friday nights to practice for their Saturday competitions. And we’re all the less for that.
DALLAS, DETROIT AND DERRICK FROM HOLY CROSS
In Sunday’s Dallas Cowboys-Detroit Lions NFL game Sunday that has generated so much discussion after the controversial ending and officiating fiasco on the last play, Covington Holy Cross alum Derrick Barnes, a 240-pound Detroit linebacker, was at the center of maybe an even more game-turning play earlier.
It happened when Purdue-alum Barnes blitzed Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott, who didn’t see him coming, in the end zone. For some reason, Prescott side-stepped Barnes and threw a 92-yard TD pass – a nine-point turnaround in what turned out to be a one-point loss for the division champion Lions.
“That could have been the difference in the game,” Barnes was quoted afterward. “But you never know so I’m for sure kicking myself over it. But I have guys around me that’s picking me up about it and I’m not going to let that down me I’m going to continue to be who I am and be who I am as a player.”
BIG NUMBERS FROM NORTHERN KENTUCKY ATOP KHSAA HOOPS STATS
One Ninth Region player and three teams – one team that will shock you – lead the KHSAA stat sheet this week in basketball. Holy Cross’ Luke Arlinghaus, hitting 49 out of 52 free throw attempts for state-leading 94.2 percentage, would be No. 1 in the NBA this week where the LA Clippers’ Paul George is on top with 93.1 percent (108-116). Heck of a year for Luke.
As for the two No. 1 teams, the Lloyd Memorial boys lead the state in both FG shooting (55.8 percent on 241 of 432) and three-point FG shooting at 45.5 percent (50-110). Terrific patience and discipline for the Juggs.
As for the other No. 1, it’s in the same category – three-point FG shooting – and it it’s patience you’re looking for – or discipline – how about that of a Covington Latin girls’ team that’s taken just four threes in three December games with a 1-2 record but hit two of them for its state-leading 50.0 percent mark.
Other top boys’ leaders have Simon Kenton’s Travis Krohman No. 3 in three-point FG shooting at 4.3 a game on 47.3-percent shooting (26 of 55). Villa Madonna’s Henry Thole is No. 6 in rebounding with 13.3 a game in a category full of locals with Lloyd Memorial’s EJ Walker No. 17 (11.3 a game) just ahead of No. 19 Caden Miller of CovCath (11.2). The 6-foot-9 Miller and 6-8 Walker remain close in FG shooting percentage with Miller No. 19 at 65.6 (86 of 131). Walker is No. 26 at 64.7 percent (66 of 102).
Free throw shooting is another area where Northern Kentucky boys are excelling. In addition to Arlinghaus, three others are in the top 13 with Beechwood’s Jack Sullivan No. 9 at 87.1 percent (31 of 35), Highlands’ Brayden Moeves No. 11 at 87.0 (40 of 46) and Holy Cross’ William McElheney No. 13 at 86.5 percent (32 of 27).
Scoring is one area where Northern Kentucky is a bit under-represented with just one of the top 37 scorers local. As for No. 6 Andy Johnson from Cooper, who is hitting at 25.0 points a game, the 6-4 junior guard has been out since the second game with a fractured wrist. Newport blue-chip sophomore guard Taylen Kinney appears twice among the KHSAA’s Top 50 – at No. 22 in FT shooting with 84.7 percent on 61 of 72. And he’s 41st in scoring at 21.5 points a game.
In team toppers, CovCath appears five times in the KHSAA’s Top 50, Campbell County is there in four categories. CovCath’s are scoring margin (14.2 points, No. 24), scoring (68.3, No. 45), defense (No. 41, 54.1 ppg), FG percentage (No. 21, 51.4 percent on 354 of 651) and three-point FG percentage (No. 9, 90 of 223, 40.4 percent). Campbell County, meanwhile, is No. 20 in scoring margin (15.1 ppg), No. 48 in scoring (67.9 ppg), No. 50 in team FG percentage (48.3 percent (255 of 528) and No. 24 in team defense (52.8 ppg).
For the girls individually, Highlands’ junior Marissa Green is No. 3 in the state in FG percentage at 67.2 percent (82 of 122). She’s also No. 41 in rebounding at 9.8 a game. Another multiple stat leader is Walton-Verona’s Braylin Terrell who is 20th in free throw shooting at 86.6 percent (31 of 38) and No. 30 in rebounding with 10.3 a game.
In other individual categories, Boone County’s Joslyn LaBourdeaux-Humphrey is the top local rebounder at 11.9 a game. Beechwood’s Gia Jones tops three-point shooters here as No. 13 in the state with 36.8 percent (32 of 87). And Walton-Verona’s Elin Logue is the top FT shooter – and No. 19 in the state – with 82.9 percent (34-41).
Team-wise, in scoring, the top three here – Holy Cross at No. 30 (59.1 ppg), No. 36 Cooper (58.5) and No. 37 Bishop Brossart (58.4) – appear in multiple categories. As does Notre Dame Academy: No. 6 in team defense (35.1 ppg allowed), No. 32 in winning margin (14.1 ppg) and No. 35 in rebounding with 33.6 a game.
Brossart is No. 15 in team defense (38.7 ppg), No. 33 in team FG percent (42.5), No. 48 in three-point FG percent (31.1) and No. 15 in scoring margin at 19.8 ppg, the tops in Northern Kentucky.
Cooper is No. 14 in FT shooting at 71.6 percent (136-190), No. 27 in scoring margin (15.3 ppg) and No. 45 in defense holding opponents to 43.2 ppg. Holy Cross is No. 37 in three-point FG shooting (31.5 percent) and No. 41 in scoring margin (11.9 ppg).
Contact Dan Weber at dweber3440@aol.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @dweber3440.